It was not long ago that Paul Cutmore fought mouth cancer and won, and last week the Epsom man fought the world’s best on the water to be crowned a world champion.

The 47-year-old and his Great Britain team-mates returned from the 11th Dragon Boat World Championships in Hungary last week having won gold over 200m and bronze over 500m.

Cutmore was racing in the small boat senior class against teams from all four corners of the globe including China, USA, Japan and Australia.

He said: “I used to be fairly sporty but suffered cancer a few years back, and it really set me back on my haunches. “I went to a charity dragon boat race three years ago and have not looked back since.

“It has really helped build up my fitness, physicality and confidence.”

Cutmore trains six days a week with Kingston Royals Dragon Boat club, and is now aiming for further glory abroad.

“I train all year, in all weathers and sometimes get ice on my paddle it is so cold,” he said.

“But it is all worth it, and I will continue to train for the European Championships next year in Italy, and for the Worlds in Canada in 2015 to defend our title.”

The Championships has four different race lengths – 2km, 1km, 500m and 200m – in teams of 10 and 20 in a boat.

Cutmore added: “There are six classes of race from U18s to the over 60s, and teams of 10 and 20 paddlers in a boat.

“The event attracts thousands of athletes from around the world and it is such a great occasion to be a part of.”

For more information, go to dragonboat.org.uk or kingstonroyals.com.